HELP - Need a book with recipes, grocery lists, meal plans, and workouts?!

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  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    edited November 2014
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    If you are looking for a structured diet then Atkins or South Beach are good suggestions. Weight Watchers might also be a good idea.

    Fitness sites sometimes also have meal suggestions to go along with their exercise routines, so if you are looking for both that might be a good resource. I know BeachBody does this, but I'm sure there are others.
  • thcguy123
    thcguy123 Posts: 55
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    I think maybe I will take your suggestion on Atkins. Read a review of their book and it says it has meal plans, grocery lists, etc -- no workouts but maybe I can something separate from Mens Health or similar place.

    Thanks for your positive feedback on my question.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    thcguy123 wrote: »
    So one thing I have found over years and years of trying to lose weight is when I try to design meal plans, workout plans, shopping lists, etc myself - I fail.

    I am looking for a book that I can literally turn to a page and know what meals I am eating that day, what workout to do that night, and has grocery lists so I can shop for exactly what I need (and only what I need) each week for my meals.

    Anyone have any suggestions?

    Was looking at the Atkins Made Easy book maybe?! Also saw one called The Lean Belly Prescription by Travis Stork.

    get the body for life book.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    thcguy123 wrote: »
    I need to be eating healthy veggies, fruits, protein, etc and not fast food. I need to be eating foods that help with fat loss and metabolism.
    Then do so. Don't believe that certain foods help with fat loss or "metabolism". Metabolism is a function of the body. If it stops, you die. Having fuel in your body to process keeps it working. There aren't special foods that speed it up. Working out can do that though. This is all easily found in the googles.
  • DOROTHY45
    DOROTHY45 Posts: 3
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    I understand what your saying I like the book idea!
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    thcguy123 wrote: »
    So one thing I have found over years and years of trying to lose weight is when I try to design meal plans, workout plans, shopping lists, etc myself - I fail.

    I am looking for a book that I can literally turn to a page and know what meals I am eating that day, what workout to do that night, and has grocery lists so I can shop for exactly what I need (and only what I need) each week for my meals.

    Anyone have any suggestions?

    Was looking at the Atkins Made Easy book maybe?! Also saw one called The Lean Belly Prescription by Travis Stork.

    get the body for life book.

    That book by Bill Phillips?
    My mom had it when I was younger. I don't know what is actually in the book, never looked at it. If I remember correctly, she even entered the Challenge. She actually got in pretty good shape with whatever that program was/is.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    Yeah, I know a few cops that went through it and it was great for them, I remember one of the selling points being lists of things to eat, so they didn't have to think about it.

    Then a couple of them busted a guy with a huge selection of PEDs that they ended up keeping a good portion of.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    The books suggested so far are good, also Weight Watchers. It's pretty cheap and teaches you overall healthy eating, starting with a guided plan of recipes you just eat off of. Then it adds exercise tips later.

    Biting off too much change at once is a big risk. You might want to work on overhauling the eating first and just have some daily walking goals, and add structured workouts later. When you change your diet 180 degrees and also add a ton of workouts, it's really tough to sustain so much change at once. You don't HAVE TO work out to lose weight, just like you don't have to 'eat clean', either. Find a balance you can live with. You're going to want pizza and subs and burritos in your life some days and that's not unreasonable. We all have some indulgences. Try not to see this as 'black and white'. Success is in the gray area.

    Good luck!
  • Krock83
    Krock83 Posts: 64 Member
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    It's not a book, but I subscribed to Cooking Light for a while because they had a nice variety of recipes and helpful tips. Inspiration/meal planning wise, it was pretty good.

    Good Luck on your journey!
  • stephdmash
    stephdmash Posts: 16 Member
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    skinnytaste.com has awesome, simple, healthy and inexpensive recipes.. and you can import the recipes right onto MFP for easy tracking!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    There are plenty of meal plan websites out there. Some of them charge a small fee, some are free. They'll give you a list of recipes for the week and include a grocery list for the whole week. This is where I'd normally do a Google search and find some for you, but I think you're capable of doing that on your own.
  • Fit_Content
    Fit_Content Posts: 29 Member
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    Hi,

    If you are looking for meal plan websites here is a different take on things which has worked well for me.

    1. Generally stay away from Fast food - Yes, it is a treat, but do not make it the "cornerstone" of what you eat.

    2. Learn to eat Nutrient Rich Foods more often. When I am going well, this is typically what I eat: (This is just me)

    Breakfast
    Oatmeal
    Yogurt

    Snack AM
    Banana or Grapes
    String Cheese

    Lunch
    Caesar Salad with at least 4-5 oz of grilled or boiled chicken
    Carrots, Celery
    Piece of Bread

    Afternoon Snack
    Piece of Bread with peanut butter

    Dinner
    Fish or chicken
    Baked potato
    Steamed Broccoli
    But I still eat Ice Cream, Pizza, Burgers occasionally too. I don't deny myself anything.

    The key is that you will need to learn to weigh foods, measure, and count calories.

    And since you are good at research... Learning about BMR and TDEE is vital for long term success.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/680246/tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them/p1

    ---- Good luck - read the success stories here - you are making a great first step
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    edited November 2014
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    http://amazon.com/Mediterranean-Diet-Beginners-weight-mediterranean-ebook/dp/B00NVKCO6O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416411571&sr=8-3&keywords=meal+plan+books

    Whew, that was hard! Good thing I have an advanced degree or two!

    Actually, I just realized this book only has meal plans, not workout routines, grocery lists, etc. I'm afraid you may have to actually do some of the work yourself. Sorry.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    I'd like to see the OP update this thread in about 6 months, for a status update. I don't think he'll have much success, but one could hope.
  • jillbeckman
    jillbeckman Posts: 5 Member
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    Branstin wrote: »
    Sparkpeople.com is a free website that has the meal options. If you don't like an item on the menu, you could swap it for another one that fits your calorie budget. It also has a weekly grocery list option you could print. There is a "Workout Generator" for strength training and videos for cardio. You will have to design your own workout plan based on your goals but it doesn't take that long to do.

    I've used Spark People and highly recommend them! They have delicious and healthy recipes that they can arrange into a meal plan for you. I'm having the same issues and I know I need to plan my meals better to ensure success....Good luck finding what works for you! Keep fighting the good fight :wink:
  • laurajo521
    laurajo521 Posts: 91 Member
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    It isn't that much to get a consultation with a dietitian (if your BMI is high enough, your insurance should cover it) and he or she will be able to help you do this. As part of my plan I meet with my dietitian once a month and she and come up with a meal plan for the month (lots of repetition, but I don't mind if I am in my routine). She is also my friend on here and reads my food log which helps a lot too.
  • laurajo521
    laurajo521 Posts: 91 Member
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    Also, if you have a smart phone, there are tons of apps for recipes, grocery lists, etc. No need to lug the computer with you.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    You can try

    https://www.eatthismuch.com/

    You basically plug in your calories and macros and it generates a menu plan for you. I use the free account to generate a random day when I don't know what I want.

    You can regenerate the day if you don't like it, a meal, or an ingredient in a meal. You can make a list of things you don't like/can't eat by pressing the block button on an ingredient in a recipe or a meal, or by setting dietary preferences.

    If you like a certain recipe you could set it to repeat either all the time for this meal, or just to show up more often than others.

    You can also plug in your own foods and recipes or recipes from their list, and edit meal preferences (for example if you want breakfast meals to contain only breakfast foods, or if you want a certain meal to be bigger than the others..etc)

    I find the free account to be enough for me since I only need a day every once in a while. The paid account generates a full week, accounts for leftover, and makes a grocery list.

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I like the diabetes meal planners as they are so balanced. http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/healthy-living-resources/diet-nutrition/basic-meal-planning
    I eat out a fair bit, but I pick smaller portions. I have gradually reduced my subway sandwich to a kid's size. I load it with vegetables.

    Slow cooker meals cooked on the weekend and frozen ahead can help you have good choices on hand so you won't be tempted by your former choices.

    As for exercise plans, what finally worked for me was gradually increasing to one new activity every couple months. I am now up to 300 minutes of aerobic activity a week but I would not have believed this was possible only a few months ago. Does your club membership have some group classes? That's an easy way to add regular activity to your week.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
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    thcguy123 wrote: »
    I hate when people just say - eat what you want - just eat less. I am eating whole pizzas for dinner, two foot long subs for lunch, a breakfast burrito and quesadilla for breakfast, and a bag of chips as a snack. Of course I should just eat less. I know that already.

    I don't thinking eating a 1/2 pizza, 1 sub, 1/2 bag of chips, and large breakfast burrito is going to change much - it's still to much and the wrong types of foods.

    I need to be eating healthy veggies, fruits, protein, etc and not fast food. I need to be eating foods that help with fat loss and metabolism.

    I eat fast food all the time because I lack a plan I can look at each day and know what I am going to eat, drink, workout, etc.

    Maybe it's easy for others to make their own plans and just eat less calories but not for me. I need a step by step guide to follow for now!!!

    I will check out the websites - thanks to everyone who gave suggestions. We don't like to use the computer for that stuff (workouts and meal plans - we need something in our hands to look at together) - that is why I was really hoping to find a BOOK. It's also nice to be able to take the book to the store for shopping OR take it to gym for workout. Can't take my PC there (kinda heavy - ha ha) and don't have a printer.

    (p.s. - we can't get a library card due to some abuses of the system a long time ago - boo)

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